Carolinas Center for Advanced Management of Pain

Compressed or irritated nerves can cause pain in your neck, back, arms, and legs. The specialists at the Carolinas Center for Advanced Management of Pain offer epidural steroid injections to relieve pain and improve function. If you have notable back pain that radiates to your extremities, call one of the six offices located throughout North and South Carolina or book an appointment online today.

Epidural Steroid Injection Q & A

What is an epidural steroid injection?

Epidural steroid injections contain a corticosteroid, such as triamcinolone or dexamethasone, along with a numbing agent, such as lidocaine. You receive them in the epidural space of your spine, between the covering of the spinal cord and your vertebrae.

The numbing agent offers immediate relief from pain, and when it wears off, the steroid helps reduce inflammation by reducing the activity of the immune system to offer longer-term relief. The injection may also flush out inflammatory proteins that contribute to your pain.

What conditions benefit from an epidural steroid injection?

Epidural steroid injections reduce inflammation responsible for pain in the lower back, legs, neck, and arms. Your doctor at the Carolinas Center for Advanced Management of Pain may recommend the injection to address a number of conditions, including:

Spinal stenosis

Degenerative disc disease

Herniated discs

Spondylosis

Sciatica

An epidural injection does not cure your condition, but it can greatly relieve associated pain for a week or even a year, depending on your particular situation.

What should I expect during an epidural steroid injection?

An epidural steroid injection is an in-office procedure, and you go home the same day. Prior to the injection, a technician applies a topical anesthesia to numb the area of the lower back that will receive the needle.

Your doctor then uses a fluoroscope, which is a special type of X-ray, to locate the optimal area, where they inject you with the steroid. The fluoroscope helps your doctor deliver the steroid as close to the inflamed nerve root as possible.

Most patients tolerate the procedure well, reporting only sensations of pressure and mild pain. The experts at the Carolinas Center for Advanced Management of Pain monitor you for a short time before you leave the office to ensure there’s no reaction. You will need someone else to drive you home.

Most people can go back to their regular activities the day after the injection. If you have any soreness at the injection site, over-the-counter pain relievers can help.

For more information about epidural spinal injections, call the Carolinas Center for Advanced Management of Pain or book an appointment online.